


Legends of Luke Skywalker: Athanasius

by Phaedra_Dahl



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi (2017), The Last Jedi
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Life Beyond, Make Mara Canon, Temple of Mara, forever in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 14:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13273296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phaedra_Dahl/pseuds/Phaedra_Dahl
Summary: So maybe The Last Jedi wasn’t your favourite in the saga…maybe it was. But if you’re reading this, then there’s a good chance that you felt there was something missing…another scene perhaps that explained what happened after…I made no money off this story- I will make no money off his story- and it has nothing to do with the book by Ken Lui (but it kind of does...my attempt to make a certain EU/Legacy character canon again- I think you might know her ~wink!)





	Legends of Luke Skywalker: Athanasius

**In the moment after…**

He opened his eyes slowly; not wanting to acknowledge where he was, but, solemnly, he knew.

There was no pain, which was what he had feared.

For all his grief and anguish, he was sure that his end would have come with pain.

However _, it didn’t_.

There was no pain, no fear, and no regret.

As he took in his surroundings of pure light, he felt it immediately…no, not It… _Her_ ; recognizable and reassuring.

Before he turned, he heard her voice.

“You took your time.” She said wryly, slightly chiding him playfully.

He closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in hearing her again.

Turning in the direction of her presence, he smiled as he opened his eyes. “ _Yes I did_.” He confessed, and then sighed as he saw her.

He couldn’t remember when they had last met, but time had been kind to her, and she still looked radiant.

Her red-gold hair was vibrant with streaks of pure white. Her perfect oval face didn’t show any signs of age as she smiled at him with emerald eyes.

He sighed again, remembering why he had fallen so deeply in love with her.

She came closer to him, her smile fading as she knew what he was feeling.

It suddenly dawned on him. “I felt your passing.” He whispered, realizing that if he was seeing her that he too must have joined her on the other side.

Nodding, she whispered back. “No matter how strong one becomes in the Force, there is no escaping the finality…my disease could not be avoided or fought.” She paused. “I was thinking of you when it was my time.” Her mouth formed a tight grin.

 _How could I not?_ She thought over to him, and he could hear her, just like he used to.

Their bond was still in place; across distance and time, it had survived- _oh, how he had missed it so_.

He knew that he couldn’t hide anything from her either, and she felt his self-reproached as she came to be beside him.

Looking away; it was hard enough to confess to himself, it was harder to confess to her, but he knew she would understand.

“I made mistakes.” He said looking down and then back up to meet her understanding eyes. “ _I failed_.”

She simply nodded understandingly, but then considered his words, and shook her head to indicate that she didn’t entirely agree with his statements.

“We all make mistakes.” She replied. “And you didn’t fail… _you succeeded in finding out what didn’t work_.”

At first he was surprised to hear her words; there was a time when she was more-judgmental of him and would have reprimanded him harshly and honestly like no one else was capable of doing.

He raised an eyebrow at her, amused when he interpreted the second half of her statement.

She grinned and tilted her head; amused that he was amused. “I’ve been spending time with Kenobi.” She explained.

He exhaled and nodded, understanding.

“ _A different point of view_.” They said in unison, as that phrase had become their favorite anecdotes when they were together.

Enthralled by the other’s eyes, they grew silent, and smiles faded.

She watched his face now, studying it; he wondered what she saw there.

Were the years as forgiving to him as they had been to her? Did she still see the man that she loved?

Whatever she had been thinking, it apparently didn’t matter, as he felt her cool hand slip into his own. He closed his eyes again, savoring the touch of her skin on his; the energy between them still passed as they touched.

“I missed you.” He said, clenching his eyes shut, feeling a deep stab in his heart as he made another confession, recalling that they had been friends as well as lovers.

“I missed you too.” She whispered by his ear; he knew there was no air here but his senses offered the remembrance of what it was to feel her warm breath on his cheek.

Opening his eyes, he paused to look at her again before he closed his eyes to press his lips against hers.

It was pure, perfect and almost painful at how badly he had missed contact with her.

His hands came up to cup her cheeks, holding her gingerly to him in this moment that he had waited for so long, and with absolute longing. He whimpered slightly at the feel of her soft petal lips pursing.

When they broke, he opened his eyes to be greeted by her smiling face.

“I love you.” She murmured against his cheek.

 _Stars_ , he anguished. “ _I love you too_.” His voice was imbued with all the love he had thought was possible, and was constantly being dwarfed by his feelings for her; it was beyond what others commonly called ‘love’, and beyond what words could describe.

He sighed, relaxing into the knowledge that wherever she was, he was happy to be.

His arm slipped around her, to pull her closer and feel her body beside him again.

They began to sway in their embrace; there was no other distractions than this moment.

So many times in their lives, there had always been something that drove them apart, and in the end- _here_ \- was nothing to do so.

They were both people of action, and seldom did they know anything else. It was both refreshing, and yet unsettling, to think that there was no immediacy to their time.

His mind went back to the times that they had shared; recalling both the good and the bad, times of joy and sorrow, adventures and tranquility.

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he pulled back to look at her. He gasped before he formed the words to his question. “What about….?” His mind raced.

She smiled, and sighed. “He’s fine.” She replied serenely. “He looks like you… _your eyes_ … _your smile_ …” She briefly grimaced. “…but taller than either of us.”

He relaxed, taking some comfort in this knowledge, but before he could ask another question, she continued.

“He knows who you are.” She said confidently. “ _And, he knows who he is_.”

She snorted quietly – a sound that he was glad to hear and had missed desperately- “He’s strong.” She said without needing to be provoked. “In character… _and in the Force_.”

He looked surprise, but he knew that he shouldn’t be. He looked off in the distance, thinking of all of the possibilities that could have been if their lives had been different.

“But he has no desire to become a Jedi.” She cast her eyes down, knowing that he didn’t want to hear that particular detail. “However, like you, he will come if he’s called.” She said quietly. “ _He knows his duty_.”

He nodded, feeling pride for his progeny.

“He’s thinking of starting his own family soon.” She said as her eyes raised with happiness.

He tilted his head, wanting to know more, and he opened his mouth to ask but she beat him to it.

“He’s a hyper-drive mechanic…the best in the Rim… has his own business.” She said beaming with her own pride.

He smiled, realizing that he would have considered that an ideal life for himself at one point in time too.

“I’d like to see him.” His voice cracked with emotion at the thought that their love had lived on.

She nodded. “Of course… _all in good time_.”

She was looking at him again, taking time to examine him. He could feel that she could sense his unease at being there.

Nodding again, she understood where his thoughts could be. “You doubt why you were brought here.” She said with her usual blank candor. “Don’t you?”

“You don’t think that you deserve to be here.” Her eyes narrowed and she spoke his doubts succinctly out loud.

He swallowed hard, watching and waiting; sure that he was about to ripped from this world and put some where away from her.

She spoke his name with gentle tone. “You used your strength to make the final sacrifice…to save lives…to make amends for your mistakes… _that_ , is the essence of being a Jedi.”

 _You’ve earned your right to find peace_. Her soul touched his mind again, lulling his senses.

Her hands slipped into his and squeezed them ever-so slightly. He felt the tug in her direction as she began to step away; he followed without question.

“For now, your journey isn’t complete.” She said; her eyes sympathetic. “The others are waiting for you.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprised that there was more to come; he had hoped that his eternity would simply be with her.

She gently pulled again in the direction of the chasm that felt like everything and nothing all at once; a blinding light in the distance.

He stopped and resisted being led; a slip of fear entered him. Unable to sense or feel the future concerned him.

Without any hesitation, she squeezed his hand again, reassuringly.

“I’ll be with you.” She said as she tugged again, and this time he came.

“All the answers…” Her voice spoke ahead of him as he followed. “All the knowledge…all the power… all of the feelings… all of the love… all of the peace….”

As they headed into the light, her voice filled everywhere. “…. _All of the Force_ ….”

“ _You become a part of it_ ….”

“ _Are you ready?....”_

He didn’t need to answer, _she knew._

And then, suddenly but without shock, _he knew too_ ….

 _And He was One_.

 

*Fin.

**Author's Note:**

> FYI: "Athanasius" translates into "deathless" ~ wink!


End file.
